1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to non-halogenated polymeric binders used, for example, in electrophotographic imaging members.
2. Description of Related Art
In xerography, or electrophotographic printing/copying, an electrophotographic imaging member is electrostatically charged. For optimal image production, the electrophotographic imaging member should be uniformly charged across its entire surface. The electrophotographic imaging member is then exposed to a light pattern of an input image to selectively discharge the surface of the electrophotographic imaging member in accordance with the image. The resulting pattern of charged and discharged areas on the electrophotographic imaging member forms an electrostatic charge pattern (i.e., a latent image) conforming to the input image. The latent image is developed by contacting it with finely divided electrostatically attractable powder called toner. Toner is held on the image areas by electrostatic force. The toner image may then be transferred to a substrate or support member, and the image is then affixed to the substrate or support member by a fusing process to form a permanent image thereon. After transfer, excess toner left on the electrophotographic imaging member is cleaned from its surface, and residual charge is erased from the electrophotographic imaging member.
Electrophotographic imaging member can be provided in a number of forms. For example, the electrophotographic imaging member can be a homogeneous layer of a single material, such as vitreous selenium, or it can be a composite layer containing an electrophotographic layer and another material. In addition, the electrophotographic imaging member can be layered. Current layered electrophotographic imaging member generally have at least a flexible substrate support layer and two active layers. These active layers generally include a charge generating layer containing a light absorbing material, and a charge transport layer containing charge transport molecules. These layers can be in any order, and sometimes can be combined in a single or a mixed layer. The flexible substrate support layer can be formed of a conductive material. Alternatively, a conductive layer can be formed on top of a nonconductive flexible substrate support layer.
An electrophotographic imaging member can be in a rigid drum configuration or in a flexible belt configuration that can be either a seamless or a seamed belt. In order to ensure that the electrophotographic imaging member belts exhibit sufficient flatness, an anticurl backing layer can be coated onto the back side of the flexible substrate support layer to counteract upward curling and ensure electrophotographic imaging member flatness. Furthermore, in order to mitigate erosion of the top outermost layer of the electrophotographic imaging member during repeated cycling processes, the outermost layer can be coated with a thin protective layer, such as a silicon hard overcoat.
Conventional binders used in electrophotographic imaging members typically contain vinyl chloride. Examples of such conventional binders are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,985, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,666, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.